Method and apparatus for dispensing stacked and nested articles

ABSTRACT

Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended articles wherein a guide structure is provided for receiving a stack of the nested articles with the lead article being at one end of the stack. Means are disposed adjacent the guide structure for causing relative movement between the lead article and the article in the stack adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of the articles to cause camming between the lead article and the adjacent article so that the lead article will begin to separate on one side thereof from the adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to the nesting direction. Other means are also disposed adjacent the guide structure for further separating the lead article from the stack in a direction opposite to the nesting direction thereof.

United States Patent Bryan, Jr.

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING STACKED AND NESTED ARTICLES [72] Inventor: George D. Bryan, Jr., Mechanicsville, Va.

[73] Assignee: Reynolds Metals Company,

Richmond, Va.

[22] Filed: March 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.1 128,301

[52] U.S. Cl .221/251, 221/259 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 59/08 [58] Field of Search ..22l/259, 277, 221-223, 221/211, 273-275, 262, 251

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,155 6/1966 Peppler ..22l/21l X 3,379,346 4/1968 Frederick et a]. ..221/22l X 3,091,362 5/1963 Robinson ..22l/21l X 1 Dec. 26, 1972 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Glenn, Palmer, Lyne, Gibbs & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended articles wherein a guide structure is provided for receiving a stack of the nested articles with the lead article being at one end of the stack. Means are disposed adjacent the guide structure for causing relative movement between the lead article and the article in the stack adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of the articles to cause camming between the lead article and the adjacent article so that the lead article will begin to separate on one side thereof from the adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to the nesting direction. Other means are also disposed adjacent the guide structure for further separating the lead article from the stack in a direction opposite to the nesting direction thereof.

30 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnzczs I972 SHEEI 1 BF 7 INVENTOR. GEORGE D. BRYAN, JR. BY HQ-M Wa Mui HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTED DEC 2 6 I972 SHEET 2 OF 7 w INVENTOR. GEORGE D. BRYAN, JR.

PATENTED DEC 2 6 I972 SHEET 3 BF 7 INVENTOR. GEORGE 0. BRYAN, JR BY 45W) Pa rm, K

HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTED 3.707.245

sum u or 7 INVENTOR. GEORGE D. BRYAN, JR.

BY MP 26 MUM 3mm HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTED DEC 2 6 I972 SHEET 5 BF 7 75 3 INVENTOR. 9O GEORGE D. BRYAN, JR. BY )gmpaflm,

HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEU B 2 5 i972 SHEET 6 OF 7 INVENTOR. l9!

GEORGE 0. BRYAN, JR. BY dill WK, Oak 41414 {Li/VJ ld bm J w HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEU nu: 2 6 I972 SHEET 7 OF 7 INVENTQR.

GEORGE D. BRYAN,J BY kiln run AM 1 JLWIMJ HIS ATTORNEYS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING STACKED AND NESTED ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In' the automatic filling and subsequent sealing of food containers and the like, a plurality of open ended container bodies are normally disposed in a nested stack thereof and are automatically and serially dispensed from such stack onto a conveyor means where filling apparatus automatically fills such serially dispensed container bodies with the desired product and other parts of the apparatus subsequently close such filled container bodies to produce completed container constructions for merchandising purposes and the like. I

It has been found that when such container bodies are relatively deepand relatively accurately or uniformly made, the nesting thereof provides a substantially perfect fit between such'nested container bodies such thata high degree of vacuum is created between the nested container bodies whereby it is relatively difficult to serially separate such container bodies from a nested stack thereof.

This invention provides an improved method and apparatus for dispensing nested open ended articles from a stack thereof.

One embodiment of the apparatus of this invention provides a guide structure for receiving a stack of nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding the bowl portion of the open end thereof with each container body having a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration. The guide structure presents a lead container body of the stack with its open end facing away from the stack atone end thereof and with its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto. Means are provided for holding the stack at one end of the guide structure. Other means are disposed adjacent the one end of the guide structure for engaging against the flange of the lead container body at one side thereof and for sliding that lead container body relative to the adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of the container body to cause the bowl portion of the lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of the adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from the adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during such sliding movement. Other means can be provided adjacent the one end of the guide structure for thereafter further moving the lead container body away from the adjacent container body in an unnesting direction. For example, such additional means can include means for transferring such dispensed container Therefore, this invention is not to be limitedto only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Other details, uses and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of the present preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show the present preferred embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective and schematic view illustrating a complete filling and sealing apparatus for container bodies, such apparatus including the dispensing apparatus of this invention. 7

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, partially broken away, illustrating the completed container construction produced by' the apparatus of FIG. 1.

.FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged view, partially in cross section, of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. ,6 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the empty container body being dispensed by the dispensing apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 6 and illustrates the dispensing apparatus just before the same begins to dispense the lead container from the nested stack thereof.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates the upper dispensing apparatus where an operating cam has moved 60 in a clockwise direction from the position thereof in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates the upper cam moved from the position of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates the upper cam of the dispensing apparatus disposed from the position illustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates the upper cam moved 240 from the position illustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates the upper cam moved 300 from the position illustrated in FIG. 9.

taken substantially DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, an automatic apparatus for filling and sealing container bodies with food products and the like is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 and comprises a base or frame structure 21 rotatably carrying an indexible conveyor or table 22 adapted to be indexed by a rotatable shaft 23 so that container body receiving pockets 24 formed in the rotatable table 22 can be indexed in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 from a container body dispensing apparatus or station 25 to a first product filling station or apparatus 26, a second product filling station or apparatus 27, a cover dispensing and tack sealing station or apparatus 28, a cover depression forming station or apparatus 29, a cover heat sealing station or apparatus and a transfer station or apparatus 31 wherein the covered and sealed container bodies are transferred to a flange beading apparatus or station 32 for forming an annular bead aboutthe filled and sealed container body whereby the completed container constructions are adapted to be dispensed from the beading apparatus 32 to a desired location by conventional conveyor means 33.

The completed container construction made by the apparatus 20 of FIG. I is generally indicated by the reference numeral 34 in FIG. 2 and comprises a container body 35 filled with suitable product meansg36 and sealed closed at its open end 37 by a cover member 38 which is heated sealed to an annular flange 39 of the container body'35 that surrounds the open end 37 thereof and is together with the cover member 38 suitably curled or beaded at 40 by the heading apparatus'32 of FlGfl to strengthen the combined cover member38 and annular flange 39 at the outer edge thereof. 7

However, the container body 35 utilized in the dispensing apparatus 25 of this invention is best illustrated in FIG. 8 wherein it can be seen that the annular flange 39 is originally substantially flat at the open end 37 of the container body 35 with the container body 35 having a bowl portion 41 defining a bottom wall means 42 and an arcuate side wall means 43 which is arcuate in any transverse cross-sectional configuration of the container body 35 between the bottom wall 42 and the flange 39.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the container body dispensing apparatus 25 of this invention is adapted to receive one or more stacks 44 of nested container bodies 35 and is adapted to thereafter serially dispense the container bodies 35 so as to be received in the pocket means 24 of the table 22 while each pair of pockets 24 are indexed by the table 22 to the dispensing station or apparatus 25 in a manne hereinafter described. V

As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the dispensing apparatus 25 includes a stationary frame or support 45 which together with a plurality of guide rails 46 defines a guide structure 47 for receiving a particular stack 44 of container bodies 35. While the guide structure 47 or dispensing apparatus 25 is illustrated as holding two stacks 44 of nested container bodies 35, only the structure for dispensing individual container bodies 35 from one stack 44 will be described in detail with the understanding being that the other'dispensing structure for the adjacent stack 44 of container bodies functions in a like manner and with the understanding that more than two side-by-side dispensing arrangements could be provided, if desired.

The guide rails 46 are so positioned on the support 45 that two lower rails 46A and 47B are adapted to support the nested container bodies 35 on the outer edges 48 of the annular flanges 39 thereof while side positioning rails or rods 46C and 46D are so positioned that the same engage the edge 48 of the flange 39 of each container body 35 at the opposed ends 49 and 50 thereof to prevent lateral movement of the stack 44 as the same moves downwardly through the guide structure 47 by gravity. However, the rails 46 and a lower arcuate table-like surface 51, FIG. 13, of the support 45 define the lower end of substantially a J-chute arrangeinent whereby the descending container bodies 35 are turned almost vertical as will be apparent hereinafter at the lower end 52 of the guide structure47.

The support 45 includes a stationary/header or support bar arrangement 53.which is horizontally disposed across the guide structure 47 at the lower ends 52 thereof with such header or bar structure 53 including an enlarged support 54 in the lineal path of movement of the container bodies 35 and defining an arcuate surface 55 against which the upper edge-48 of the container bodies 35 engage and are substantially arcuately disposed in a compact arrangement at the upper edges thereof while the lower edges 48 of the container bodies 35 tend to fan out relative to one another along the angled surface 51 as illustrated in FIG. 9, the stationary header 54 having an angular surface 56 disposed completely in the path of 'movernent of the upper parts of the flanges 39 of the container-bodies 35 in the stack 44 to provide a stop means therefor at the lower end 52 of the guide structure 47. I

If desired, the header piece 54 can have a substantially straight surface 55A at the lower part of the areaate surface 55 thereof that adjoins the angled stop surface 56 thereof to further assist in the fanning out of the flanges 39 at the bottom of the stack of container bodies 35 at the end 52 of the guide structure 47. In this manner, it can be seen that the J-shape of the guide structure 47 as well as the arcuate surface 55 of the header 54 causes fanning of the flanges 39 at the bottom of the nested stack 44 thereof.

The header structure 54 has a slot 57 formed therein to permit a wiper lever 58 to reciprocate therein, the lever 58 being carried on an eccentric 59 that is rotatable about an axis 60 in FIG. 9 by a drive shaft 61, FIG. 3, continuously driven in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9 by a belt or chain 62 being driven by gear 63. The gear 63 is carried on a main drive shaft 64 that also carries a drive gear 65 disposed in meshing relation with a gear 66 mountedon a rotatably mounted shaft 67 that has a gear 68 on the other end thereof. The gear 68 is disposed in meshing relationwith another gear 69 rotatably mounted on a shaft 70 rotatably mounted in the supporting structure 45 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The lever or wiper 58 has an elongated slot 71 formed therein and receiving a stationary guide pin 72 carried by the stationary header 54 so as to guide reciprocating movement of the lever 58 during the rotation of the eccentric 59 through 360 from the position illustrated in FIG. 9 back to the position illustrated in FIG. 9 as represented respectively by 60 increments of movements of the eccentric 59 in FIGS. 10, ll, l2, l3 and 14. The wiper or lever 58 has a resilient cushion or tab 73 at the right hand side and lower end thereof for engaging against the upper part of the flange 39 of the particular leading container body 35 in the stack 44 being positioned against the stop surface 56 thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

From the sequence of movement of the wiper or lever 58 from the position illustrated in FIG. 9 through the respective positions illustrated in FIGS. 10,, 11, 12, 15 and 14 and back to the position illustrated in FIG. 9,

it can be seen that the resilient end or finger 73 of the lever 58 acts against the upper end of its flange 39 of the particular lead container, designated by the reference numeral 35A in FIGS. 9-14 to slide the same downwardly against the upper portion of the flange 39 of the container body 353 adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction between the container bodies 35A and 35B so that such sliding movement of the lead container 35A relative to the adjacent container 35B in the stack 44 causes the arcuate side wall means 43 of the bowl portion 41 of the lead container 35A to cam against the bowl portion 41 of the next adjacent container 35B at the juncture thereof with its flange. 39 at the lower end of the container body 353. In this manner, such camming action causes the lower end ofthe lead container body 35A to moveaway from the adjacent container body 35B at the lowerend thereof in an unnes ting direction out to the position illustrated in FIG. 13 where other means of the dispensing apparatus 25 can then further move the lead container 35A away from the next adjacent container 358 since the upper edge of the flange 39 of the lead container 35A has now cleared the stop surface 56 of the stationary header 54. In particular, the upper edge of the flange 39 of the lead container 35A has been-transversely moved a sufficient distance by the slide lever 58 to clear the stop surface 56 which transverse movement has caused the edge 38 of the flange 39 at the bottom thereof to slide to the left on a substantially flat surface 74 of the support 45 adjacent to the angular surface 51 thereof.

The shaft 64 is adapted to continuously drive a cam wheel 75, FIG. 9, about a fixed axis 176 in a clockwise direction as indicated by thearrows in FIGS. 9-14 with the cam 75 having a high cam surface 76 and a lower cam surface 77 respectively adapted to act on a lever 78 pivotally mounted to the frame 45 bya pivot pin 79. The lever 78 has an angled surface 80 that is adapted to extend above the angled stationary surface 51 of the support 45 when the high side 76 of the cam 75 is acting against the cooperating surface 81 of the lever 78 to hold the same in its up position as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the low side 77 of the cam 75 when acting against the surface 81 of the lever 78 causing the angled surface 80 thereof to fall below the support surface 51 of the support 45 as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.

Another lever or arm 82 is pivotally carried 'on a pivot pin 83 fixed to the cam 75 in offset relation to its center 176 so as to cause reciprocating movement of the lever 82 during clockwise rotation of the cam 75, the lever 82 having an elongated slot 84 therein and receiving a fixed pin 85 secured to the support 45. The lever 82 has a pushing end 86 utilized in a manner hereinafter set forth and has a tension spring 87 secured thereto at one end 88 thereof and at the other end 89 thereof to another lever 90 pivotally mounted to the frame 45 by a pivot pin 191. The lever 90 has an abutment 91 adapted to abut against a fixed member 92 of the support 45 when an edge 93 of the lever 82 is out of engagement with the abutment 91 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9. However, when the lever 82 has its left hand end moved downwardly by the cam 75 as illustrated in FIG. 10, the surface 93 thereof acts against the abutment 91 to move the lever 90 downwardly The lever carries an L-shaped member 94 having one leg directly fastened to the lever 90 as illustrated andthe other leg 96 thereof angled relative thereto and thereby defining a slanting surface 97 terminating at a flat end surface 98 disposed adjacent a flat end surface 99 of the lever 78 as illustrated in FIG. 9.

When the lever 90 is disposed-against the abutment 92 as illustrated in FIG. 9 and the lever 78 is in its up position as provided by the high side 76 of the cam 75, the end surface 98 of the arm 96 is above the end surface 99 of the lever 78 so as to provide a stop surface for the bottom of the flange 39 of the lead container 35A as illustrated in FIG. 9, the spacingbetween the surfaces 98 and99 when the lever parts 96 and 78 are in the position illustrated in FIG. 9 only being slightly greater than the thickness of one flange 39 of one container body 35 but being smaller than the thickness of two such flanges so that only the lead container will actually be permitted to be received in the space between the endsurfaces 98 and 99 at'any one time. I

Another lever 100 is pivotally mounted to the support 45 by a pivot pin 101 with the lever 100 having a leg 102 provided with a stop pin 103 that isadapted to abut against the stationary part 92 of the support 45 when the lever 100 is free to move by gravity so that the end 104 of the lever 100 is above the surface 74 of the support 45 to provide a stop as will be apparent hereinafter. However, when the lever 82 has been extended to the left by the cam 75 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9 so that the same can abut against the leg 102 of the lever 100, the same pivots the lever100 in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 101 a distance sufficient to permit the end 104 of the lever 100 to fall below the surface 74 of the support 45 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The rotation of the cam 75 and the upper cam 58 are so related that the same provide means for serially dispensing each container body 35 in the stack 44 thereof in substantially a trouble free manner as will be apparent hereinafter. I

As illustrated IN FIGS. 3 and 5, the shaft 70 that is driven by the gear wheel 69 is adapted to operate a pair of rocker arms 105 through an are as indicated by the arrow 106 in FIG. 3 and then back to the full line position illustrated in FIG. 3 as the gear 69 continues to rotate in one direction, the arm 105 carrying a bar mechanism 107 at the upper ends 108 thereof and on which are pivotally mounted a plurality of vacuum cups 109 which are adapted to be rotated by the rocker bar 107 from the full line position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the dash-dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 3 while the rocker arms 105 are moved through the are 106. The upper bar 107 is adapted to be moved through its are by suitable mechanism driven by a suitable drive member 110. The drive member 110 is driven by a driving belt or chain 111 interconnected to a suitable driving gear 112 carried on the shaft 70 and rotated by the gear 69.

While the vacuum cups 109 have been illustrated and described as being utilized for the purpose of transferring the lead container body 35 from the stack 44 once the same has been separated from the stack 44 in a manner hereinafter described to place the lead container body 35 into a pocket 24 of the table 22, it is to be understood that other means for transferring can be utilized for removing the partially separated lead container body 35. For example, a roller arrangement, finger arrangement, etc. can be utilized in combination with or in lieu of the vacuum cups 109.

For example, an air nozzle 113 is illustrated in' FIG. 9 for directing a jet of air 1 14 against the right hand side of the lead container body 35A to assist in dispensing the lead container body 75A from the dispensing mechanism.

- The operation of the dispensing apparatusand method 25 of this invention will 'now be described.

While viewing FIGS 9-14, it will be assumed that the cam 59 is. now beginning to rotate in" a counterclockwise direction and the lower cam 75 is beginning to rotate in a clockwise direction. I v

7 Since the stack 44 of the container bodies; 35 being fed by the guide structure 47 down the rails 46 has caused the upper edges 48 of the flanges 39 of the container bodies 35 to act against the arcuate surface 55 and thus around a relatively small radius while the lower ends of the flanges 39 act against the angled surface 51 defining the extension'of an arcuate path having a relatively large radius, the flanges 39 at the bottom of the container bodies 35 are partially fanned out asillustrated in FIG. 9 while-the upper edges of the flanges 39 which are being controlled by the surface 55A and stop 56 of the header 54 are relatively close to each other.

When the lever 78 in the up position as illustrated in FIG. 9, only the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A is adapted to be received in the space between the surfaces 98 and 99 of thelevers 96 and 78 as illustrated whereby such upward movement of the lever 78 acts against the flanges 39 of the container bodies 35, such the adjacent container body 358 to tend to hold the same stationary between the surface 80 of the lever 78 and the surface 55A of the header 54 during the subsequent sliding action of the lead container body 35A in a manner now to be described.

As the upper cam 59 rotates 30 from the position illustrated in FIG. 9 to the position illustrated in FIG. 10, it can be seen that the resilient finger 73 of the lever 58 is pushing against the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A in a direction to compact the same against the flange 39 of the adjacent container body 35B and tends to move the same backward from the stop 56 of the header 54 while at the same time the lower cam 75 has rotated and driven the lever 82 in such a manner that the same abuts against the lever 90 to pivot the same downwardly and thereby move the surface 98 of the lever arm 96 downwardly so that the flange 39 of the lead container body'3SA can be moved to the left away from the flange 39 of the adjacent container 353 during the sliding movement of the upper portion of the flange 39 of the lead container body;3SA relative to the flange 39 of the adjacent container body 35B by the downwardly moving lever 58 under the influence of the cam 59.

Further rotation of the cams 59 and 75 through another are of 30 from the position illustrated in H6. causes the cams 59 and 75 to reach the position illustrated in FIG. 11 where the lower edge of the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A has now been cammed out by the bowl portion 41 of the lead container body 35A camming against the bowl portion 41 of the adjacent container bodyv 353 during the sliding movement of theupper flanges 39 thereof so that the lower edge of the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A has slid down the angled surface 97 of the arm 96 and onto the surface 74 of the stationary housing 45. The cam 75 now moves the lever 82 upwardly to cause the lever 90 to move upwardly therewith and thereby place the stop surface 98 above the end surface 99 of the lever 78 to provide for a subsequent holding and positioning of the next lead container body in the stack 44 once the lead container. body 35A has been dispensed from the stack 44. As illustrated in FlG. 11, it can be seen that the upper edge of the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A has now been'cleared below the stop surface 56 of the header 54 so that the finger 73 of the lever58 can now begin to be moved away from the same as illustrated in E68. 12 and 13. j

When the cams 59 and have been rotated through an arc of 240 from the position illustrated in FlG. 9 .to the position illustrated in H6. 13, it can be seen that the lower side 77 of the cam 75 is now acting against the lever 78 so that the same moves downwardly below the surface 51 of the support 45 whereby the gravity feed of the stack 44 moves the next adjacent container body 358 against the stop surface 98 of the lever 96so that the container-body 353 will now form the next lead container. body to be dispensed by the finger or lever 58in the manner previously described.

I Also, at this time, the cam 75 is beginning to move the lever 82 to the left so that the surface 86 thereof can now act against the lower edge of the flange 39 of the lead container body 35A and push the container body 35A to the left as illustrated in FIG. 14 to further separate the same from the adjacent containerbody 35B and break any vacuum therebetween while pushing thesame toward the stop surface 104 of the lever 100. Thus, if the lead container body 35A should tend to shift beyond the lever 100, the same will be stopped by the surface 104 thereof until after the vacuum cups 109 are received against the bottom wall 42 thereof to hold the lead container body 35A thereto, At this time, the lever 82 hits against the lever to move the stop shoulder 92 thereof out of the path of the lead container body 35A so that the container body 35Acan be pushed beyond the lever 100 by the lever 82 in the manner illustrated in FlG. 9 once the dams 75 and 58 have been rotated through an arc of 360 and thereby permit the next lead container which, in this example, is container body 353, to be subsequently dispensed in the same manner.

As previously stated, once the vacuum cups 109 have attached to the bottom wall 42 of the lead container 353 as illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 9, the rocker arms are rocked through the are 106 illustrated in FIG. 3 while the vacuum cup bar 107 is rocked through its arc to position the vacuum cups 109 in the dashdotted position illustrated in FIG. 3 so that the pickedup container body 35A carried therewith will be positioned in the pocket 24 of the rotatable table 22. At this time, the vacuum in the cups 109 is broken so that the cups 109 will be released from such deposited container body 35A and the arms 105 and rocker part 107 canbe repositioned for attaching to another dispensed container body 35 in the manner previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that the dispensing apparatus of this invention is readily adapted to serially dispense the lead container body 35 from a stack 44 thereof by breaking the near perfect fit or vacuum therebetween through a unique action of moving 'or sliding the lead container body relatively to the next adjacent container body in a direction transverse to the nesting direction thereof so that such sliding action will cause the bowl portion of the lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of the next adjacent container body at one side thereof and thereby move outwardly relative thereto in an unnesting direction so that such separation will permit the lead container body to be further transferred away from the stack of container bodies while the stack of containers is being positively It is to be understood that while this invention has been described in connection with a rotatable table 22. such embodiment of the conveyor 22 is merely for the purpose of illustrating one type of conveyor that can be utilized and is not for the purpose of placing any specific limitations on this invention whereby it is to be further understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized with any other type of suitable conveyor, such as a straight line conveyor where each operating station of the apparatus of FIG. 1 would be in an aligned relation along such a straight line conveyor of the continuous belt type or of other configuration and structure.

While the present preferred embodiment of this invention and method ofpracticing the same, has been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention can be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: v

l. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended articles comprising a guide structure for receiving a stack of said nested articles with a lead article being at one end of said stack, means adjacent said guide structure for causing relative movement between said lead article and the article in said stack adjacent. thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said articles to cause camming between said lead article and said adjacent article so that said lead article begins to separate at one side thereof from said adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to said nesting direction, said means causing relative movement keeping the configuration of said lead article intact during its separation from said adjacent article, and other means adjacent said guide structure for further separating said lead article from said stack in said opposite direction.

2. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article comprises means for sliding said lead article against said adjacent article at the side thereof opposite to said one side thereof.

3. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article also comprises means for tending to hold said adjacent article substantially stationary during said sliding of said lead article relative thereto.

4. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said'means for sliding said lead article relative to said adjacent article comprises a cam operated resilient finger which engages a surface of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article to provide a wiping action. I

S. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said articles has an annular substantially flat flange surrounding the open end thereof, said resilient finger being adapted to act against a surface of the flange of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article.

6. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide'structure guides said stackthrough an arcuate path to fan said stack of said one end thereof. 7 j

7. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said guide structure at said one end of said stack has a substantially J-shaped configuration to thereby define said arcuate path as'a substantially J- shaped path and said nested articles are fed by gravity through said guide structure to said means for separating said lead article from said stack.

8. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other means comprises means for pushing said one side of said lead article away from said adjacent article.

9. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other means comprises means for carrying said lead article from said stack to a location remote from said stack.

l0. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for carrying said lead article comprises a vacuum pick-off device.

11. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said apparatus comprising a guide structure for receiving a stack of said nested container bodies with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, means for holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, means adjacent said one end of said guide structure for engaging against the flange of said lead container body at one side thereof and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the'opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said engaging and sliding means keeping the configuration of said lead container body intact during its movement away from said adjacent container body, and means for thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.

lUt'sOlZ Ol 76 l2. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said guide structure at said one end thereof positions said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof.

13. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, aid apparatus comprising a guide structure for receiving astack of said nested container bodies with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion'nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, means for holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, means adjacent saidone end of said guide structure for engaging against the flange of said lead container body at one side thereof and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against thebowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and prises the step of sliding said article against said adjacent article at the side thereof opposite to said one .side thereof.

18. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said step for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article also comprises the step of holding said adjacent article substantially stationary during said step of sliding of said lead article relative thereto.

19. A dispensing method as setforth in claim 17 wherein said step of sliding said lead article relative to said adjacent article comprises the step of moving a resilient finger against a'surface of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article to provide a wiping action. v

20. A dispensing method as setforth in claim 19 wherein each of said articles has an annular substanthereby moveaway from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said guide structure at said one end thereof positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof, saidguide structure at said one end thereof having means that cause a fanning out of said flanges of said nested container bodies at said opposite side thereof. and means for thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.

l4. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said guide structure at said one end thereof comprises said means that will hold said adjacent container body while said lead container body is being cammed relative thereto.

15. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means that hold said adjacent container body releases said adjacent container body when it becomes the lead container body in said tack thereof.

16. A dispensing method for nested open ended articles comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested articles in a guide structure so that a lead article is at one end of said stack, causing relative movement between said lead article and the article in said stack adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said articles while keeping the configuration of said lead article intact to cause camming between said lead article and said adjacent article so that said lead article begins to separate at one side thereof from said adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to said nesting direction, and, thereafter, separating said cammed lead article from said stack in said opposite direction.

17. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article comtially flat flange surrounding the open endthereof and wherein said step of moving said resilient finger comprises the step of moving said resilient finger against a surface of the flange of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article.

21. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 and including the step of guiding said stack in said guide structure through an arcuate path to fan said stack at said one end thereof.

22. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 21 wherein said step of guiding said stack comprises the step of feeding said stack by gravity through said arcuate path.

23. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein aid step of separating said cammed lead article comprises the step of pushing said one side of said lead article away from said adjacent article.

24. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of separating said cammed lead article comprises the step of carrying said lead article from said stack to a location remote from said stack.

25. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said step of carrying said lead article comprises the step of carrying said lead article with a vacuum pick-off device.

26. A dispensing method for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said method comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested container bodies in a guide structure with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, engaging a member against the surface of the flange of said lead container body which is arranged remote from said adjacent containerbody at one side of said lead container body and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said lead container body being kept intact during its movement away from said adjacent container body, and thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.

27. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 26 and including the step of positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof.

28. A dispensing method for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annu lar flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said method comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested container bodies in a guide structure with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away. from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, holding said stack at one end of said guide structure including holding of said flanges at one sideof said container bodies, fanning out of said flanges of said nested container bodies at the opposite sides thereof,

14.. positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure, engaging a member against the flange of said lead container body at its one side and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at its opposite side during said sliding movement, and thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.

29. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 28 wherein said step of holding said stack includes the step of holding said adjacent container body with said guide structure while said lead container body is being cammed relative thereto. I

30. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 29 and including the step of releasing said adjacent container body when it becomes the lead container body in said stack thereof. 

1. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended articles comprising a guide structure for receiving a stack of said nested articles with a lead article being at one end of said stack, means adjacent said guide structure for causing relative movement between said lead article and the article in said stack adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said articles to cause camming between said lead article and said adjacent article so that said lead article begins to separate at one side thereof from said adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to said nesting direction, said means causing relative movement keeping the configuration of said lead article intact during its separation from said adjacent article, and other means adjacent said guide structure for further separating said lead article from said stack in said opposite direction.
 2. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article comprises means for sliding said lead article against said adjacent article at the side thereof opposite to said one side thereof.
 3. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article also comprises means for tending to hold said adjacent article substantially stationary during said sliding of said lead article relative thereto.
 4. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for sliding said lead article relative to said adjacent article comprises a cam operated resilient finger which engages a surface of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article to provide a wiping action.
 5. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said articles has an annular substantially flat flange surrounding the open end thereof, said resilient finger being adapted to Act against a surface of the flange of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article.
 6. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide structure guides said stack through an arcuate path to fan said stack of said one end thereof.
 7. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said guide structure at said one end of said stack has a substantially J-shaped configuration to thereby define said arcuate path as a substantially J-shaped path and said nested articles are fed by gravity through said guide structure to said means for separating said lead article from said stack.
 8. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other means comprises means for pushing said one side of said lead article away from said adjacent article.
 9. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other means comprises means for carrying said lead article from said stack to a location remote from said stack.
 10. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for carrying said lead article comprises a vacuum pick-off device.
 11. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said apparatus comprising a guide structure for receiving a stack of said nested container bodies with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, means for holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, means adjacent said one end of said guide structure for engaging against the flange of said lead container body at one side thereof and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said engaging and sliding means keeping the configuration of said lead container body intact during its movement away from said adjacent container body, and means for thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.
 12. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said guide structure at said one end thereof positions said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof.
 13. Dispensing apparatus for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, aid apparatus comprising a guide structure for receiving a stack of said nested container bodies with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, means for holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, means adjacent said one end of said guide structure for engaging against the flange of said lead container body at one side thereof and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container bodY in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said guide structure at said one end thereof positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof, said guide structure at said one end thereof having means that cause a fanning out of said flanges of said nested container bodies at said opposite side thereof, and means for thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.
 14. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said guide structure at said one end thereof comprises said means that will hold said adjacent container body while said lead container body is being cammed relative thereto.
 15. Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means that hold said adjacent container body releases said adjacent container body when it becomes the lead container body in said tack thereof.
 16. A dispensing method for nested open ended articles comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested articles in a guide structure so that a lead article is at one end of said stack, causing relative movement between said lead article and the article in said stack adjacent thereto in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said articles while keeping the configuration of said lead article intact to cause camming between said lead article and said adjacent article so that said lead article begins to separate at one side thereof from said adjacent article in a direction substantially opposite to said nesting direction, and, thereafter, separating said cammed lead article from said stack in said opposite direction.
 17. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article comprises the step of sliding said article against said adjacent article at the side thereof opposite to said one side thereof.
 18. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said step for causing relative movement between said lead article and said adjacent article also comprises the step of holding said adjacent article substantially stationary during said step of sliding of said lead article relative thereto.
 19. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said step of sliding said lead article relative to said adjacent article comprises the step of moving a resilient finger against a surface of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article to provide a wiping action.
 20. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of said articles has an annular substantially flat flange surrounding the open end thereof and wherein said step of moving said resilient finger comprises the step of moving said resilient finger against a surface of the flange of said lead article which is arranged remote from said adjacent article.
 21. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 and including the step of guiding said stack in said guide structure through an arcuate path to fan said stack at said one end thereof.
 22. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 21 wherein said step of guiding said stack comprises the step of feeding said stack by gravity through said arcuate path.
 23. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein aid step of separating said cammed lead article comprises the step of pushing said one side of said lead article away from said adjacent article.
 24. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of separating said cammed lead article comprises the step of carrying said lead article from said stack to a location remote from said stack.
 25. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said step of carrying said lead article comprises the step of carrying said lead article with a vacuum pick-off device.
 26. A dispensing method fOr nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said method comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested container bodies in a guide structure with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, holding said stack at one end of said guide structure, engaging a member against the surface of the flange of said lead container body which is arranged remote from said adjacent container body at one side of said lead container body and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at the opposite side thereof during said sliding movement, said lead container body being kept intact during its movement away from said adjacent container body, and thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.
 27. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 26 and including the step of positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure at said opposite side thereof.
 28. A dispensing method for nested open ended container bodies each having a bowl portion and an annular flange surrounding said bowl portion at the open end thereof whereby each container body has a side wall provided with an arcuate transverse cross-sectional configuration, said method comprising the steps of disposing a stack of said nested container bodies in a guide structure with a lead container body of said stack having its open end facing away from said stack at one end thereof and its bowl portion nested within the bowl portion of the container body in the stack adjacent thereto, holding said stack at one end of said guide structure including holding of said flanges at one side of said container bodies, fanning out of said flanges of said nested container bodies at the opposite sides thereof, positioning said lead container body in a substantially vertical position with said lead container body resting with its flange on said guide structure, engaging a member against the flange of said lead container body at its one side and sliding the same relative to said adjacent container body in a direction substantially transverse to the nesting direction of said container bodies to cause the bowl portion of said lead container body to cam against the bowl portion of said adjacent container body at the open end thereof and thereby move away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction at its opposite side during said sliding movement, and thereafter further moving said lead container body away from said adjacent container body in an unnesting direction.
 29. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 28 wherein said step of holding said stack includes the step of holding said adjacent container body with said guide structure while said lead container body is being cammed relative thereto.
 30. A dispensing method as set forth in claim 29 and including the step of releasing said adjacent container body when it becomes the lead container body in said stack thereof. 